Good point, he was I assume referring to his ff bodies although he didn't specifically point that out.Quote:
Originally Posted by HDNitehawk
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Good point, he was I assume referring to his ff bodies although he didn't specifically point that out.Quote:
Originally Posted by HDNitehawk
Denise,Quote:
Originally Posted by ddt0725
#1 - I shoot with my 24-105 @ f4.5 hand hold in Av ISO 800 or 1,000 on my 5D and 1DmkIIn. In most churches it works just fine. Your 7D will have more noise but not by much. I think ISO 800 will work. Use a tripod if you can. I somtimes i use mine like a mono pod. Yes, a headshot that fills the frame, shot with a 50mm will often make their nose look bigger. A 50mm on a 7D will not be as bad but I prefer an 85mm or 135mm for headshots. For full length a 35mm or 50mm work great.
#2 - I usually will be near the front as the Bride is escorted down the isle. I take a few flash shots from hear then move to just behind the brides mades to get the father giving her away. After that I move more to the back of the church center isle. I'll work my way up one of the side isle during the cerimony if possible. I have been to a few churches where I can get behind the alter without being seen. This makes for some great shots when I have the oportunity. My wife is usually in the balcony with the other camera on tripod.
Try to get in the venue with lighting like you think it will be and test, test, test to see what you think will work best for you.
Thank you, Mark! This is very helpful information on how you handle it and it sounds doable with my original plans of my zooms for the ceremony. I really wish I could move on with the realities of this but I hate to contact her yet again! Since this isn't in a church lighting may not be so bad! I am not going to sign or even present the contract until I have had a chance to see the the inside and decide if this is even possible for me to obtain the results she is expecting ...that is, if she is even expecting anything from me anymore! :confused:Quote:
Originally Posted by clemmb
I think it's fantastic- you are doing all the legwork and pooling a large knowledge base on wedding photography all in one thread. Keep beating that horse (sorry SPCA)Quote:
Originally Posted by ddt0725
By next wedding season I might try and be a second shooter, and will be referring back to this post.
:)Quote:
Originally Posted by Kombi
End of Sept. is a ways away! Maybe by the time it gets here, I will be able to turn this thread into "An Amateur's Guide To Shooting Their First Wedding" best seller!!
Just catching up on this epic thread and I re-read your response here Denise and I think your thoughts and feelings are spot-on and will work to making the day pefect for the bridal couple and yourself.Quote:
Originally Posted by ddt0725
Having been in business for quite a few years, I never charge a client for my own on the job training. If I am improving my own skill set, I don't charge for my time and sometimes not even for materials as I look at these experiences as a piece in the big picture.
Business relationships can become strained even with the best contract and it pays to be flexible and understanding, especially on a stressful wedding day. This couple could end up being your best marketing investment. A stepping stone to a career and an income from one of your passions. And it doesn't get better than that.
I watched a female wedding photographer shoot a wedding the other day as I was snapping sunset shots at Cleveland. She was only tiny, by herself, but she was a little dynamo, great personality, encouraging, guiding and it made me think of you.:rolleyes:
Maybe thats where you will make your $$s:cool:Quote:
Originally Posted by ddt0725
Look forward to a signed copy from you:)
Awwww ...that's me, a little dynamo! :oQuote:
Originally Posted by Steve U
Take care about wedding mistakes, read more about that thing on this blog also http://www.longlivestartas.com/bigge...ding-mistakes/ may be it could help you :)
Welcome to the forums and my wedding saga!! Oh, I am sure I will make plenty of mistakes! Hopefully, not disastrous ones and hopefully I learn from them!Quote:
Originally Posted by joksamalina
Well, to give an update ...I was beginning to worry since I had not heard from the B-T-B since I sent her a few questions on Friday and a couple package options on Saturday! Today, she did email me and said it is a definite go and wants to meet with me next week to go over details, the contract & hopefully see the venue and do some practice shots at the same approx. time the ceremony will take place. She has decided to go with the first option I presented to her and also wants an additional hour! I told her I couldn't possibly add another hour of shooting for the $400 budgeted amount and that an additional hour would be $75. I know, on the cheap side but the most stressfull part of it, we will have already gone through so this extra hour will be easy ...right??? :rolleyes: Anyway, she bought it so now it's 4 hours for $475.
Congrats on verbally signing your first wedding gig.
Thank you, David! Fingers crossed that I can pull this off!!! My stress level is through the roof already!Quote:
Originally Posted by DavidEccleston
Just to give everyone an update ...
Tomorrow at 4:00 I will be meeting wiith the future bride and groom for the first time to go over the contract, the package & ala carte options. I will get to see the inside of the venue where the wedding and reception are taking place. We'll also head over to Lake Michigan around the time she may want shots taken there after the ceremony to scout out some possible areas to shoot and get an idea on lighting. I will be taking my list of questions (thanks to all the helpful advice given here) and go over a list of important shots she wants me to take.
So, if there are any other words of wisdom ...feel free to post them. I am working on my list now of questions to ask her and I think I have most everything covered but I could totally be forgetting something!
And in case I haven't already mentioned this ...I am sincerely grateful to each and every one of you for all of your advice and confidence you have shown in me! And a special thank you to John (Neuro) for making it so I don't have the added expense of Lensrental.com. Most definitely, if I would have had to go that route, this would not be happening!
I sure hope I don't disappoint anyone!!
Just wondering how the meeting went? Hope all is well.
It actually could not have gone any better!!!!!
We first met at Lake Michigan where we are hoping to take photographs after the ceremony. I found a gorgeous area only 3 minutes from the venue that will offer a variety of backgrounds full lake, beach area, trees and large rocks for sitting and (I think) perfectly even natural lighting that time of day.
The couple is very, very sweet and down to earth. His mother was there also and her and I get along fantastic! I did tell them to let me know if they have any special poses in mind or if they have any props they want to use that reflects who they are. Using the line of scrimmage as an example that some guys like to do if they are heavily into football! The GTB said him and all his guys are trained in Kung Fu so who knows ...I may be taking some action shots ...LOL!!!
Anyway, on to the venue! It is a gorgeous victorian style house turned into a womans club. The ceremony will take place in a narrow room that isn't too long and the walls and ceiling are white! Bouncing flash won't be a problem as she walks down the aisle if needed and I won't have a large room to have to do alot of leg work. Plenty of window light so during the ceremony when flash is turned off, it will still work out well I think. There is a beautiful fireplace for more photo ops. It will come in handy if weather cancels the lake idea. There are french doors with white lace curtains on them that I am hoping to use for a photo of the bride with her back to me as she slightly opens them. There is also a long staircase for more photo ops of the entire wedding party!
The next room is where the reception will be. Fingers crossed that lighting won't be too bad! The brides dress is white, bridesmaids red, black tuxedo's and they are going to have red overhead lights throughout, lighting the dance floor!
They were pleased with my ala carte prices too and I once again stressed I have never done this but will do everything I can to make this all turn out as best as I can. They were going on and on about the photos they've seen of mine online that I have done going into detail on a number of them.
So, contract is signed and down payment has been made so no turning back now!!
That's great News, Congrats Denise!
Thanks! Oh forgot to mention ...my daughter and I are included in the dinner, so I don't have to pack granola bars either!! LOL!
This is terrific news Denise, so happy for you. It sounds like it is a pretty good fit both ways. What a good way to start a new career. It will snowball from here.
Have some business cards ready.
Great news Denise. Have fun!
Congrats Denise, this sounds really good.
Congrats Denise
Thank you! Even though things went much better than I had expected, I am sure I will still have my share of questions over the next month. Probably even some pretty stupid ones! Most have to do with lighting and flash and also best choice of f-stop. I already have a list started! :p
My daughter is already wishing this was over so I shut up! So bear with me guys! Just in case I have a complete meltdown ...remember I am still a very nice, sane person! :o
Your area may be different but I expect this. If they are having a sitdown dinner, since I am spending around 8 hours of my day, My wife and I will be eating with them. I usually tell them that we will be getting in the line just after the bridal party and immediate family. There is not a lot of shots while the bride is eating since she does not want shots of herself stuffing her face so I will be eating at the same time. My wife and I may alternate eating just so we don't miss something.Quote:
Originally Posted by ddt0725
Looks like finally this is for sure going to be a reality. :)
Soon you will be on to your next thread "please critique my wedding photography business website". We are looking forward to it.
And of course next go round your wages will be higher :p
I have been watching a number of videos and reading many forums on numerous sites about wedding photography but I can't really say I am anymore educated than I was to begin with! The more I see, the more questions I have!
Now that Part I "Signing of the Contract" is over with, I am ready to get Part II "Pre-Wedding Jitters" going!
A couple things that came up last night as I was reading a few threads on another site are #1 - A guy had posted a number of his photos from a wedding and one of the comments made was that a little consistency in the processing would be nice because he had done a couple that were processed different than the majority of his photos. So, is it better to have most photos processed the same or is giving them a variety best? I tend to process my shots in many different ways but for this I would most definitely keep it simple for most but would still like to do some in a more creative post-processing fashion.
Whick somewhat leads me into my second question. The complete red lighting for the reception! The venue coordinator did stress that it is going to be intense and definitely will make a statement, which even raised the gtb's eyebrow! Any suggestions on how to handle this so the photos aren't so extreme? A part of me wants to process them in b&w but that takes away from the bride's intent of what she is going for with it.
Last question for now. Does anyone have experience using OnOne's Perfect Resize Pro 7? It came with the package OnOne gave me for free but I haven't really used it until playing around with it some last night. I am wondering if it truly a better way to process their photos.
Any advice as I move along with this is greatly appreciated! Only 33 days left to go! :rolleyes:
I would keep it simple. First, you are working cheap the first time around, do good post processing that is consistent through the whole range. PP is time and time is money. Second, of course since I am not a wedding photographer my perspective on this is from other ventures I have had in life, but whenever I have done something I had never done before I learned early that it is best to focus on doing the basics of the task very well. You can add extra as you progress.Quote:
Originally Posted by ddt0725
Maybe at future weddings for particular situations you could expand out. For now you could play with some of the photos to see what you can do at this one, but do it for your entertainment or education not as part of the package. If you have a few you like, pass them on to the client for good advertising. Don't commit to it though.
Don't over think this Denise, keep it clean, simple and basic.
I would try to find a basic processing workflow and make them all similar to start. If you have time, and the inclination, a separate folder for artistic processing would be cool.Quote:
Originally Posted by ddt0725
I use On One Genuine Fractals 6 which was renamed to Perfect Resize 7. It is fantastic for making very big enlargements and sharpening, otherwise it doesn't do much.
Denise,Quote:
Originally Posted by ddt0725
On the first, Keep it simple just as HDNitehawk said.
Second, Set your flash on camera with omni-bounce. Set camera to 'M' with f3.2 to f4, shutter at 200. Not sure how intense it may be. Depending on the ceiling hight I shoot ISO 400, f4.5, 200. This washes out most other lights. On the dance floor if the colored lights hit someones hair you may see that color show up some.
I don't have an external flash to test with, but I know my old T1i would expose for ambient in Av modes, ignoring the pop-up flash's light contribution. What happens if you use a 430EX or 580EX on the 7D, using Mark's f/4, 1/200s settings, with ISO set to 'A'uto? Does it expose for ambient or correctly expose with the flash taken into account?
If auto ISO works your job is a lot simpler.
Great info Mark.Quote:
Originally Posted by clemmb
Thanks for the info guys! I will keep most of the editing simple with a few photos done both simple and with a little more time spent on them. I will try your suggested settings, Mark and see how it goes from there! I just ordered an omni for the 430ex II yesterday since I only had one for the 580.
When we were at the venue, the guy only had yellow lights on and said the red will be much more intense! I could see yellow going across only the upper half of the gtb's face and it did give me a sense of what challenges lie ahead! It will be interesting ...red bridemaids dresses with red lights! I just hope the brides face isn't red when she sees the photos!:mad:
Again depending on the room I have been able to get away with f5.6. If you can get away with that it may blockout the red better. If you can get in the venue again before the wedding for some more testing.Quote:
Originally Posted by ddt0725
Denise,
The other thread reminded me to inform you about the auto assist beam on your flash. I find that without it I would greatly struggle to get AF to lock on a subject during the reception, mainly when the dancing starts and the lights go way down. Even with my 1D I find it slow with any lens I use. I noticed the beam from my 580EX and EXII gets spread more on my 1D than on my 5D. When it spreads more it is not as bright which causes problems when the lights go down. If I choose the center AF point on my 1D the beam is the same as with my 5D and this helps. I am not sure how it works with the 7D. I would suggest trying it out in your largest room with the lights off so you are only locking with the AF beam to see how it works in all different AF modes. During the dancing I have to learn to anticipate the lag time. I do get many shots of the couples backside because they are moving faster than I anticipate. During the dance take lots and lots of shots here because your keeper rate will go down. Make sure you load a fresh set of batteries before the dance starts.
Do lots of testing to gain some confidence. :)
Mark, the information you have provided is going to be sooo helpful with getting me through this! Of course, if I don't freeze and all knowledge goes out the window!Quote:
Originally Posted by clemmb
I am pretty sick with a head cold & bad cough right now but hopefully I will feel better in a day or two and then I plan to go full steam ahead with practicing in a dim room as you have suggested and outdoors, etc! I haven't used my speedlights real regularly in the past but by Sept. 20th or so, I am hoping they will be my bff!!
If that happens just have a couple of beers to thaw it out:pQuote:
Originally Posted by ddt0725
Those receptions with an open bar are great:cool:
But if you partake too much you may start chopping heads off:rolleyes:
Simple. Don't do it. Your desire/need for income should never override your judgement or the best interests of others. A wedding is, for most people, the most wonderful day in their lives; perhaps next only to the birth of a child. It is also, for this couple, a one-time only event! If you screw it up it's gone forever. They deserve a true professional. If you want to be a wedding photographer it would be wonderful for you to apprentice with a professional for a year or two. Trying to become a wedding photographer on a real wedding would be wrong no matter how nice your photos. Wedding photography is a whole lot more than being able to capture nice photographs. Good luck.
I would recommend that you look at some of Denise’s work before throwing cold water over somebody. If Denise did not have a photographers eye and the talent to make this a great event, then nobody here would be encouraging or providing assistance.Quote:
Originally Posted by Slim Chance
Welcome Slim, this couple sought Denise out for their special day. She didn't go looking for them. And she has explained her experience level to them. Her wedding package price reflects her experience level and was another deciding factor for the couple.
What Denise has going for her, is a very high technical skill level, an artistic and photographic eye that is better than a lot of so-called "pros". She also has an incredible thirst for knowledge and the aptitude to then apply that information. She has terrific communication skills and has already developed an easy going professional relationship with the wedding couple.
Everyone needs to start somewhere, this appears to be the perfect starting place for Denise and the young couple.
I also wish her luck and know she will do a fantastic job.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Raid
Thank you guys!Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve U
My first thought was to not even respond to this but it was bothering me that your remarks could have others thinking that I would actually put my need for income ahead of the best interests of anyone! It takes a lot of guts to make a statement like that about another person that you don't even know!Quote:
Originally Posted by Slim Chance
What a beautiful world it would be if everyone could afford a true professional photographer on their wedding day! In especially today's world, that is not always the case! Maybe they would rather have me than just grandma with her p&s or their friend with their iphone! Maybe just maybe, I will be able to do better than that and I am all they could afford other than nothing at all! I am not "trying" to become a wedding photographer nor do I want to be, I am trying to help a couple out that wouldn't take no for an answer! I live with the fact everyday that I might screw this up and then it's gone forever for them but it won't be because I just wanted to pocket the money and run!
Yes, you are right Slim, they are a very sweet couple and they do deserve a true professional ...are you volunteering to do it for $475!? PM me your information and I will forward it to them, I'm sure they will be thrilled!
I am extremely ill right now with possible pneumonia but everyday and night I am still reading everything I can, watching videos and practicing to get this down as well as I can so I don't think I will fail from lack of caring. Thanks for your post, now that I have you waiting in the wings for me to screw up, I am even more determined!